Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
-1-
BROADBAND FIBER OPTIC TAP
[0001] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the invention
[0003] This invention relates to a component for
coupling optical energy out of an optical fiber, and
particularly to an optical fiber tap that efficiently
couples optical energy out over a relatively broad
wavelength range.
[0004] 2. Description of the prior art
[0005] The ever-increasing complexity of fiber optic
networks has created a need for devices that can
measure the optical energy flowing through an optical
fiber. Such devices are useful for network monitoring
and control purposes, in many ways analogous to water
gauges used to monitor the flow of water through pipes.
[0006] In order to measure the flow of optical
energy in an optical fiber, a small fraction of the
optical energy must be redirected out of the fiber and
onto a detector. The detector converts the optical
energy into an electrical signal that serves as a
representation of the optical energy flowing in the
fiber. A device commonly referred to as an "optical
tap" performs the function of removing a fraction of
optical energy from an optical fiber.
[0007] A variety of techniques for tapping light out
of an optical fiber are well-known in the art. One
such technique is described in US Patent application
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09 PCT/US2005/030844
-2-
10/390,398 ("the '398 application"), in which a CO2
laser beam is used to create a two-part structure in a
fiber comprised of an annealed microbend and a
reflecting surface formed in the cladding of the fiber
for directing the light scattered by the microbend out
of the side of the fiber.
[0008] While this technique offers many desirable
features, such as small size, low insertion loss, and
ease of manufacture, it suffers from inherent
wavelength dependence owing to the guiding properties
of the fiber.
[0009] One measure of this wavelength dependence is
a variation with wavelength of tap efficiency. The tap
efficiency is defined as a ratio of the optical power
tapped out to the total optical power that is lost by
introducing the tap into the optical path. Efficiency
is reduced when light is scattered out of a fiber core
but fails to exit the fiber at the tap and instead is
lost at points downstream of the tap.
[0010] Unfortunately, in optical taps made in
conventional telecommunications fiber according to the
teachings of the '398 application, the tap efficiency
may vary by as much as 400%- over the wavelength band
from 1310 nm to 1550 nm. While wavelength dependence
may be of little, if any, concern for narrow-band
applications, broadband applications require that the
tap efficiency remain relatively constant over the 1310
nm to 1550 nm wavelength region.
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
WO 2006/026618 PCT/US2005/030844
-3-
[0011] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Advantageously, the present invention
provides an optical tap that is relatively insensitive
to wavelength and thus allows operation over a
relatively broad wavelength range.
[0013] In accordance with the present inventive
teachings, the present invention accomplishes this
through a single-mode fiber with two annealed
microbends formed in the fiber, using, e.g., CO2 laser
radiation, and a reflecting surface formed in the
cladding downstream of the two microbends. The
reflecting surface is formed using the same CO2 laser
used to form the microbends by using laser ablation to
create a notch in the cladding of the fiber. The notch
is formed in the cladding of the fiber so as to create
a reflecting surface at an angle of approximately 44
degrees to the perpendicular of the fiber axis, thus
inducing total internal reflection for light incident
on the surface. The two microbends are spaced apart by
a distance approximately equal to one-half of the
intermodal beat length for the LP01 and LP11 modes so
as to cause anti-resonant coupling. Anti-resonant
coupling reduces the relative amount of light in the
LP11 mode while populating higher-order modes that are
coupled out more efficiently, thus greatly reducing the
wavelength dependence of the tap and hence greatly
expanding its wavelength range.
W02006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09 PCT/US2005/030844
-4-
[0014] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The teachings of the present invention can be
readily understood by considering the following
detailed description in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an embodiment
of inventive optical fiber tap 100;
[0017] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of
apparatus 200 for fabricating the optical fiber tap
shown in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 3 depicts a level diagram representing
the transfer of energy between fiber modes as a
function of position for the tap of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 4 depicts a graph of tap efficiency
plotted as a function of spacing between microbend and
reflecting surface for a conventional single-bend
optical fiber tap;
[0020] FIG. 5 depicts a graph of tap output signal
plotted as a function of wavelength for a conventional
single-bend optical fiber tap;
[0021] FIG. 6 depicts a graph of intermodal beat
length for the LP01 and LP11 modes plotted as a
function of wavelength in a conventional single-mode
fiber;
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09 PCT/US2005/030844
-5-
[0022] FIG. 7 depicts a graph of tap efficiency
plotted as a function of separation between microbends
at a wavelength of 1310 nm for the fiber optic tap of
FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 8 depicts a graph of insertion loss
plotted as a function of separation between microbends
at a wavelength of 1310 nm for the fiber optic tap of
FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 9 depicts a graph of tap efficiency as a
function of separation between microbends at a
wavelength of 1550 nm for the fiber optic tap of FIG 1;
[0025] FIG. 10 depicts a graph of insertion loss
plotted as a function of separation between microbends
at a wavelength of 1550 nm for the fiber optic tap of
FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 11 depicts a graph of tap output signal
plotted as a function of wavelength for the fiber optic
tap of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 12 depicts a graph of tap output signal
plotted as a function of wavelength for a conventional
single-bend optical fiber tap made in a High-NA fiber;
and
[0028] FIG. 13 depicts a graph of tap output signal
plotted as a function of wavelength for a tap made in
High NA fiber according to the present inventive
teachings.
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-6-
[0029] To facilitate reader understanding, identical
reference numerals are used to denote identical or
similar elements that are common to various figures.
The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
[0031] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts
fiber optic tap 100 comprising optical fiber 102,
primary microbend 104, secondary microbend 122 and
reflecting surface 106. Reflecting surface 106 and
microbends 104 and 122 are formed using radiation from
a single CO2 laser as described below. Hereinafter a
microbend refers to a bent section of fiber having a
radius of curvature comparable to the diameter of the
fiber. In contrast, a macrobend refers to a bend
having a radius of curvature that is relatively large
compared to the diameter of the fiber. In the
preferred embodiment, microbends 104 and 122 are
annealed microbends, meaning they are formed in the
fiber by locally heating the fiber above its softening
temperature. Microbends 104 and 122 are thus permanent,
stress-free structures in the fiber.
[0032] As described in more detail below,
microbends 104 and 122 serve to scatter optical energy
out of a core of fiber 102 into its cladding. The
scattered energy is reflected out of a side of
fiber 102 by reflecting surface 106. Preferably,
reflecting surface 106 is formed at an angle Os as
shown in FIG. 1, where Os is greater than or equal to
an angle for total internal reflection. As is well
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-7-
known in the art, the angle for total internal
reflection Ot is determined by a refractive index nciad
of fiber cladding 110 and a refractive index ns of a
medium surrounding fiber 102 and is expressed by the
formula Ot = arcsin(ns/nciaa). For example, for an
optical fiber with undoped silica cladding surrounded
by air, the angle Ot for total internal reflection is
approximately 44 degrees. Thus, assuming scattering
angle Oc is small, angle Os should be formed to have an
angle greater than or equal to approximately 44
degrees.
[0033] Additionally, in the preferred embodiment
reflecting surface 106 is located downstream of primary
microbend 104 a distance d, in a direction of optical
propagation through fiber 102, sufficient to allow
energy 120 to expand out to the outer wall of
cladding 110, but not so far that energy 120 can escape
out of the side of fiber 102 before encountering
reflecting surface 106. For small bend angles 01 and
02, the preferred distance falls in the range of
(nciad D)/NA < d < (2 nciad D)/NA (1)
where nciad is the index of refraction of the cladding
glass, D is the fiber diameter, and NA is the numerical
aperture of the fiber. For conventional
telecommunications fiber having NA of 0.14, cladding
index of refraction 1.45, and diameter 125 micron,
reflecting surface 106 should be located between 1.3 mm
and 2.6 mm from primary microbend 104.
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-8-
[0034] When compared to a tap comprised of a single
microbend as described in US Patent application
10/390,398 ("the '398 application"), the inventive
tap 100 of FIG. 1 may be made to exhibit improved
wavelength performance and efficiency by controlling
the bending angles 01 and 02 of the two microbends, the
spacing A between the microbends, and the depth h and
position d of reflecting surface 106. As described in
more detail below, the spacing between microbends 104
and 122 is approximately and preferably equal to
one-half the intermodal beat length for the LP01 and
LP11 modes.
[0035] The apparatus used to make optical tap 100 is
shown in FIG. 2 and is similar to that described in the
'398 application. Radiation from CO2 laser 202 is
directed through lenses 204, 206 and 208 which
collectively condition and focus the laser radiation
onto optical fiber 102. Optical fiber 102 is held in
focused beam 232 by clamping fixtures 210 and 212, each
of which holds the fiber by sandwiching it between
clamping plates 214 and 216, and 218 and 220,
respectively. A clamping force applied to fiber 102 by
clamping fixtures 210 and 212 is adjusted so as to
avoid inducing loss in the fiber while maintaining
sufficient force to hold the fiber in place.
[0036] Prior to mounting in the clamping fixtures,
optical fiber 102 has a portion of its protective
jacket removed to expose a length of bare cladding.
The exposed cladding section is then positioned in the
region between clamping fixtures 210 and 212.
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-9-
[0037] Optical power from secondary laser source 224
is coupled into fiber 102 while power meter 226
measures an amount of optical power emerging from
fiber 102.
[0038] After mounting fiber 102 in clamping
fixtures 210 and 212, and prior to applying radiation
from CO2 laser 202, fiber 102 is flexed to form a
macrobend by moving clamping fixture 212 toward
clamping fixture 210. Fiber guides 228 and 230 cause
the fiber to bend in the direction of the laser
radiation. Preferably, the macrobend induced in
fiber 102 should be of sufficiently small radius to
provide stress in the fiber that is greater than any
residual stress caused by accidental twists or flexing
of the fiber in the clamping fixtures, while at the
same time minimizing excess loss in the fiber. For
example, a bend radius of approximately 0.5 inches
usually satisfies this condition for a Corning SMF-28
single-mode fiber.
[0039] Focused radiation from CO2 laser 202 is
applied to the bent section of fiber 102 while optical
power is measured by power meter 226. Through
absorption of the optical energy from CO2 laser 202,
glass of fiber 102 is heated above its softening
temperature forming permanent microbend 104 (see
FIG. 1) in the fiber. By adjusting laser beam
parameters produced by laser 202 such as focal spot
size, power level, and time of exposure, the microbend
that is formed can be made to scatter a predetermined
fraction of optical power from the core of fiber 102
into the cladding as measured by the change in
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
-10-
transmitted power using power meter 226. Preferably,
the focal spot size should be adjusted to be comparable
to a diameter of the fiber to minimize an extent of an
affected region on the fiber and keep the induced
microbend radius as small as possible. In this way
multi-path affects are avoided that otherwise could
lead to polarization dependence in the tap. For
example, using a focal spot size of 400 micron, a power
level of 3.5 Watt from a CO2 laser operating at 10.6
micron wavelength induces a 0.5 dB loss in Corning
SMF-28 single-mode fiber held in a 0.5 inch radius bend
in 1 second of exposure. By actively monitoring the
loss induced by microbend 104 during formation, the
amount of bending can be controlled without the need
for direct measurement of angle e1 of FIG. 1.
[0040] After forming microbend 104, fiber 102 is
translated a distance A, in the direction shown by
arrow 236, and generally to left, by moving clamping
fixtures 210 and 212 in unison. Secondary
microbend 122 is then formed following the same
procedure and exposure time as for primary
microbend 104.
[0041] After forming secondary microbend 122,
clamping fixture 212 is moved back to its starting
position to release the stress in fiber 102. Using
clamping fixtures 210 and 212, fiber 102 is then moved
to position such that the laser beam from laser 202 is
focused onto a point on fiber 102 a distance d from
primary microbend 104 in the direction away from
source 224. Lenses 206 and 208 are then moved to
readjust the size of the focus. Laser radiation is
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
-11-
applied to fiber 102 to form notch 108 by pulsing the
laser at a predetermined rate while moving fiber 102
through the focal region. To form a v-shaped notch in
the cladding of fiber 102, the laser power level, focal
spot size and pulse duration are adjusted so that the
temperature of the cladding glass of fiber 102 is
raised above the temperature required to vaporize the
glass material in a small region. After forming the
notch, the optical power reflected out of the side of
the fiber is measured using photodetector 234.
[0042] In order to minimize excessive melting of a
region surrounding the notch and thus avoid excess loss
caused by distortion of the fiber core, large peak
power density levels and short duration pulses should
be used. For example, "Laser-fabricated fiber-optic
taps", by K. Imen et al, OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 15,
No. 17, Sept. 1, 1990, pp. 950-952, states that a pulse
duration of greater than 10 msec can induce noticeable
melting of the region surrounding a laser machined
notch in multi-mode fiber. In single-mode fiber, where
even small amounts of melting of the core can induce
measurable losses, it is preferable to maintain pulse
duration below 1 msec.
[0043] For the results reported here, a CO2 laser
having 100-Watt peak power, pulse duration of 50
microseconds, focal spot size of approximately 50
micron and power density at the surface of the fiber of
approximately 5 million Watts/cm2 was used to form
notch 108 of FIG. 1. In order to obtain the desired
angle for reflecting surface 106 of FIG. 1, the laser
was pulsed at approximately 1 pulse per second while
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
WO 2006/026618 PCT/US2005/030844
-12-
traversing fiber 102 across the beam at a rate of
approximately 12 micron per second. With this scan
rate and pulse rate, approximately 10 pulses impacted
the fiber on each pass. It should be noted that the
process for forming optical tap 100 can be readily
adapted to a fully automated manufacturing process in
which taps are formed at multiple points along the
length of a single fiber. By manufacturing multiple
taps in a single fiber span, ensuing cost of
manufacture can be greatly reduced by avoiding a need
to terminate fiber ends for each tap.
[0044] Returning to tap 100 of FIG. 1, optical
fiber 102 is assumed to comprise central core 112 of
refractive index ncore surrounded by cladding 110 having
a lower refractive index nciad. In some embodiments,
either or both the core and cladding may have
refractive index profiles of varying complexity and
shape. Further, it is assumed that optical energy 114
flowing in optical fiber 102 is in a guided mode of the
fiber prior to entering optical tap 100. As is well
known in the art, light is said to be in a guided mode
when radial distribution of its energy remains fixed as
the light propagates along a length of an optical
fiber. The majority of optical energy of such guided
modes is also typically located within a higher-index
core region of an optical fiber. By contrast, light is
said to be in an unguided mode of an optical fiber when
its radial distribution of energy changes as it
propagates along the length of a fiber. In addition,
light that is unguided typically has a majority of its
optical energy in the lower index cladding that
surrounds the core. In the preferred embodiment,
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
WO 2006/026618 PCT/US2005/030844
-13-
optical fiber 102 is a step-index, single-mode fiber.
Such fibers guide only the LP01 mode. Higher-order
modes such as the LP11, LP02, etc. are unguided,
although they may propagate for distances of
millimeters or more in the fiber before losing their
energy through radiative decay.
[0045] In order to better understand the operation
of optical tap 100 of FIG. 1, and its advantages over
prior art, it is useful to represent tap 100 by a
diagram that shows the distribution of optical energy
among the modes of fiber 102 as a function of position
along the fiber. Such a diagram is commonly referred
to as a level diagram.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows a level diagram for tap 100 of
FIG. 1. The horizontal lines represent modes (i.e.,
"levels") of the fiber that are either empty (dashed
line) or filled (solid line). The arrows indicate
movement of optical energy. Position in the fiber is
represented by horizontal position in the diagram.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, input optical energy 114
enters tap 100 in the lowest-order LP01 mode. Since
this is a guided mode, energy 114 remains in that mode
until it encounters primary microbend 104. A small
amount of energy is coupled into the LP11 mode by
microbend 104. The coupling-strength of microbend 104
refers to the relative amount of energy transferred to
the LP11 mode and increases with angle Olof FIG. 1.
For the description given here, the power coupled to
modes of order higher than LP11 by primary
microbend 104 are assumed to be negligible. As is
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
W02006/026618 PCT/US2005/030844
-14-
well-known in the art, microbends tend to couple the
LP01 to the LP11 mode much more efficiently than to
other modes.
[0048] Since the LP11 mode is not a guided mode,
LP11 mode energy 116 radiates into higher-order modes
and into the cladding as it propagates down the fiber.
The higher-order modes in turn, radiate energy away
into the cladding of fiber 102.
[0049] When LP11 mode energy 116 encounters
secondary microbend 122, energy is split into three .
portions. One portion is coupled into higher-order
modes. A second portion is coupled back into guided
LP01 mode and a third portion remains in the LP11 mode.
The amount of optical energy in each of these portions
after secondary bend 122 is determined by the
coupling-strength of microbends 104 and 122, and by the
relative phase of the LP01 and LP11 modes at
microbend 122. Since, as is well known in the art, the
LP01 and LP11 modes have differing phase velocities,
the spacing between microbends 104 and 122 determines
the relative phase of the modes at microbend 122.
[0050] Downstream of microbends 104 and 122,
energy 120 radiated into the cladding by unguided LP11
mode energy 116 and higher-order mode energy 320,
impinges on reflecting surface 106 and exits tap 100 as
tap output energy 120. The efficiency of tap 100
depends on the efficiency with which optical energy is
radiated into the cladding of fiber 102 and is thus
captured by reflecting surface 106. Optical energy
that remains in the unguided modes or in the cladding
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
-15-
that is not captured by reflecting surface 106 is
radiated out of fiber 102 further downstream of
tap 100. This "lost" energy reduces the efficiency of
tap 100 and is thus undesirable.
[0051] According to the present inventive teachings,
if the coupling-strengths of microbends 104 and 122 are
made approximately equal and the inter-microbend
spacing is adjusted to produce a 180 degree phase
difference between LP01 and LP11 modes at microbend
122, then the amount of energy in the LP11 mode after
microbend 122 is approximately zero. Such coupling is
referred to as anti-resonant coupling. To achieve a
totally anti-resonant coupling, the spacing between
microbends 104 and 122 needs to be equal to one-half
the intermodal beat length for the LP01 and LP11 modes,
the beat-length LB being defined as
LB= A/An (2)
where A is the wavelength of light, and An is the
effective index difference between the LP01 and LP11
modes.In step-index fibers operated above the LP11 mode
cut-off wavelength, the index difference An is given
approximately by
An = bn* (ncore - nciad) (3)
where ncore and nciad are the refractive indices of the
core and cladding, and bn is a well-known normalized
propagation constant for the LP01 mode (see for
example, Chapter 3, "Guiding Properties of Fibers", by
D. Marcuse, et al of Optical Fiber Telecommunications
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
-16-
(Edited by S.E. Miller and A.G. Chynoweth, Academic
Press, Inc., Boston, Mass. (i) 1979, pp. 37-45)) (the
"Marcuse text").
[0052] A consequence of eliminating most, if not
all, of the LP11 mode energy through the anti-resonant
coupling is that tap 100 may be made more efficient
since the higher-order modes generally radiate more
readily into the cladding than the LP11 mode. This
effect is particularly true for wavelengths that are
close to the cut-off wavelength for the LP11 mode. At
these wavelengths, the LP11 mode, although unguided,
can still propagate for long distances in the fiber
without giving up its energy to the cladding.
[0053] A tap that utilizes a single bend as
described in the '398 application, relies solely on the
LP11 mode to radiate energy into the fiber cladding.
As a result, such taps show reduced efficiency near the
cut-off wavelength and thus increased wavelength
dependence compared to tap 100 of FIG. 1.
[0054] FIG. 4 shows a plot of tap efficiency as a
function of distance between microbend and reflecting
surface in a series of single-bend taps made according
to the teachings of the '398 application. The
normalized tap efficiency plotted in the figure is the
ratio of photocurrent generated by detector 234 of
FIG. 2 divided by the optical power measured by power
meter 226 and divided by the total fractional loss of
the tap. Data for both 1310 nm and 1550 nm are shown.
The taps were formed by inducing a microbend having
loss of 0.20 dB at 1550 nm in Corning SMF28 single-mode
CA 02576969 2007-02-09
WO 2006/026618 PCT/US2005/030844
-17-
fiber. The corresponding loss at 1310 nm was measured
to be 0.17 dB. The fiber had a cut-off wavelength of
approximately 1260 nm and a core-cladding index step of
0.0025. Cutting a notch into the cladding to a depth
of approximately 34 micrbn formed the reflecting
surface 106 for each tap.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows that as the spacing between the
microbend and reflecting surface becomes small, the tap
efficiency approaches zero since the optical power
coupled out of the core by the microbend has not
radiated out into the cladding and therefore is not
collected by the reflecting surface. At spacing
greater than 1.5 mm, the data for both wavelengths
plateaus, with a significantly lesser efficiency for
the 1310 nm data. Because the 1310 nm wavelength is
much closer to the cut-off wavelength for the LP11 mode
than the 1550 nm wavelength, the LP11 mode power does
not radiate as readily at 1310 nm resulting in a factor
of 5 reduction in efficiency for this wavelength.
[0056] FIG. 5 shows the wavelength dependence of a
similar single-bend tap made according to the teachings
of the '398 application. The reflecting surface was
positioned 1.6 mm downstream of the microbend. The
relative response shows a marked dependence on
wavelength over the entire wavelength interval from
1275 nm to 1575 nm, with the wavelengths close to
cut-off showing greatly reduced efficiency.
[0057] To demonstrate the benefits achieved using a
secondary microbend in the inventive tap of FIG. 1, the
intermodal beat length between the LP01 and LP11 modes
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09 PCT/US2005/030844
-18-
was measured in a sample of Corning SMF28 single-mode
fiber. The beat length was determined by measuring the
wavelength dependent loss in the fiber while pressing
the fiber between corrugated plates of varying
periodicity, in a manner similar to that described in
"Two-mode fiber modal coupler", by R.C. Youngquist et
al, OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 9, No. 5, 1984, pp. 177-179.
[0058] FIG. 6 shows a plot of measured beat length
as a function of wavelength. The theoretical curve in
the figure was generated using Eqs. (2) and (3) above,
the known core-cladding index difference of 0.0025, and
a value for the normalized propagation constant bn of
0.48. The latter value was obtained from the data
plotted in Chapter 3 of the Marcuse text, p. 43 and
assuming a V-number of 2.2.
[0059] Tap efficiency and insertion loss were
measured as a function of separation A between
microbends 104 and 122 of FIG. 1 by fabricating a
series of taps in Corning SMF28 fiber. The notch-depth
was 34 microns and distance d between the primary
microbend and reflecting surface 106 was 1.8 mm for all
of the taps.
[0060] FIGs. 7 and 8 show tap efficiency and
insertion loss data, respectively, obtained at an
operating wavelength of 1310 nm. The primary and
secondary microbends were formed to have roughly equal
coupling-strength and taken individually created a loss
in the fiber of approximately 0.5 dB.
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-19-
[0061] The data of FIG. 7 shows a clear peak in tap
efficiency at a separation of 0.26 mm. According to
the beat-length data of FIG. 6, this corresponds to
one-half of the beat length at 1310 nm. At this
separation, the secondary microbend 122 of FIG. 1
causes anti-resonant coupling of the LP11 mode back
into the LP01 mode. The efficiency of the tap is thus
improved since optical energy is radiated into the
cladding by higher-order modes.
[0062] The coupling of the LP11 energy back into the
LP01 mode is also reflected in the insertion loss data
of FIG. 8, where a distinct minimum in the insertion
loss is present at the same 0.26 mm separation.
[0063] FIGs. 9 and 10 show tap efficiency and
insertion loss data, respectively, for the same taps
taken at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Unlike the data for
1310 nm, the 1550 nm data in FIG. 9 does not show a
peak in the tap efficiency. This results from the fact
that 1550 nm is sufficiently far from cut-off that the
LP11 mode radiates nearly as efficiently as the
higher-order modes. The redistribution of power caused
by anti-resonant coupling therefore has no effect. By
contrast, the insertion loss data for 1550nm shown in
FIG. 10 shows a distinct dip in the insertion loss
similar to the 1310 nm data indicating that LP11 mode
power is being coupled back into the LP01 mode by the
second microbend.
[0064] FIG. 11 shows relative response as a function
of wavelength for an optical tap made using two
microbends spaced 0.30 mm in Corning SMF28 fiber. The
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-20-
separation of 0.30 mm was chosen to optimize the
flatness of the spectral shape while maintaining good
tap efficiency at 1310 nm. The total loss of the tap
was 0.10 dB at 1310 nm and 0.12 dB at 1550 nm. FIG. 11
shows substantial improvement in spectral flatness when
compared to the spectral curve of FIG. 5 for a
single-bend tap.
[0065] It should be noted that the teachings of the
present invention could be applied to a variety of
fiber types. For example, single-mode fiber with large
core-cladding index differences, called high-NA fibers,
are particularly difficult to form single-bend taps in
owing to the tendency of the unguided LP11 mode to
propagate without radiating its energy into the
cladding.
[0066] FIGs. 12 and 13 show spectral response of a
taps made in high-NA fiber using the single-bend design
of the prior art and my inventive double-bend design,
respectively. The high-NA fiber used has cut-off
wavelength of 1500 nm and core-cladding index
difference of 0.0125. The intermodal beat-length
between the LP01 and LP11 modes at 1550 nm in this
fiber was calculated, using Eqs. (2) and (3) above, to
be 0.25 mm. At this beat-length, the spacing for
anti-resonant coupling in this fiber is approximately
0.125 mm. This spacing was used to make the tap of
FIG. 13. Both taps had measured loss of 0.1 dB at
1550 nm.
[0067] Comparison of FIGs. 12 and 13 shows that the
tap efficiency is increased by more than a factor of 10
WO 2006/026618 CA 02576969 2007-02-09PCT/US2005/030844
-21-
in the high-NA fiber using the inventive tap of FIG. 1
compared to the single-bend tap of the prior art. At
the same time, the spectral flatness is greatly
improved relative to the prior art.
[0068] Additional embodiments of the inventive
optical tap 100 can be realized by using alternative
methods for coupling light into the LP11 mode of the
fiber as described in U.S. Patent 6,535,671 Bl. Among
these are, e.g., offset fusion splices, tapering of the
fiber and fiber gratings.
[0069] Although the descriptions given above contain
many detailed specifications, these should not be
construed as limitations on the scope of the invention
but merely as illustrations of the invention. For
example, a reflecting surface angled below the angle
for total internal reflection could be used in order to
create an optical tap that is highly polarization
sensitive. Such taps would be useful for polarization
sensors in fiber optic systems. Alternatively,
thin-film coatings could be used on the reflecting
surface 106 of FIG. 1 to provide a wide variety of
wavelength dependencies in the sensitivity of the
optical tap. Further, more than two microbends could
be used in a given fiber, in which at least two of the
microbends are spaced at or near one-half of the
intermodal beat length.
